Circuit-opening device



Nov. 13, 1923. 1,473,959

'r. F. JOHNSON. JR

CIRCUIT OPENING DEVICE Fil Aug. 16 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7." I ai /1218070, Jh,

INVENTQR,

WITNESSES :WfW.

ATTORNEY Nov. 13, 1923. 1,473,959

T. F. JOHNSON, JR

CIRCUIT OPENING DEVICE Filed Aug. 16 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR, WITNESSES.

ATTORN EY Patented Nov. 13, 1923 TOMLINSON FORT JOHNSON, JR., OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

CIRCUIT-OPENING DEVICE.

Application-filed August 16, 1919. Serial K013183326.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, TOMLINSON F. JOHN- soN, J11, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Circuit-Opening Device, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to automatic circuit opening devices, known inthe trade as automatic skeet switches, and its object is to permit a very marked diminution in the cost of building transformer stations, whereby it is possible to serve a customer at a very much lower first cost than has hereto fore been done, and so it is feasible to take on many customers which could not be done with former types of station installations because the income from the necessary investment was insufficient to pay a sufficient return upon such investment.

In accordance with the invention high tension line wires, say, carrying from 11,000 volts to 22,000 volts or more, are each connected up to a switch structure through which the current is fed to the high tension side of a transformer to be afterward delivered by the low tensionside thereof. The arrangement is such that in the event of a dangerous rise ofcurrent from any cause the continuity of the line wire is broken through the cut-out of any oneormore of the lines and the circuit may be restored'by purposely breaking the circuit of the other lines of the group, considering a three phase sys tem, to be afterward restored in all the ln'anchesvof the three phase systemp The invention 'will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, with the understand ing, however, that the invention is not con fined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings, but may be changed and modified so long as such changes and modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention asexpressed 1n the appended claims.

I In the drawings V ,1 V Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of acircuit breaker or skeet switch embodying the invention. e Figure 2 is an elevation, partly in section, of a portion of the circuit breaker, with the parts in open circuit position.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the yoke member of the circuit breaker shown in Figure 2. i v

Figure etis a more or less diagrammatic view of a portion of the system including the circuit breaker. V

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a lever forming part of the circuit breaker.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a pole 1 which may, for example, be of standard two inch iron pipe, although not confined to any such particular size. S111? mounting the pipe 1 is a cap 2 carrying a pedestal 3 in turn carrying a pin 4 of suitable material, say of locust. Thepin carries a pin-type insulator 5 surmounted by a cap 6 conveniently made of cast iron and held to the insulator by screws 7; The cap 6 is provided at suitable points with bosses 8 each having a perforation 9 entered cross wise by a set screw 10 permitting the attachment to the cap of conductors 11 and 12 Fig. 4; to which reference will hereinafter be made. Fast to the cap 6 on top of the latter is an inverted bell 11 rising from the interior of which is an insulator 12 preferably, though not necessarily, of the type known as a delta star insulator. Carried by the insulator 12 is another bell 13 having its edges separated from the first bell by a suitable distance. Each bell is provided with a lug 14 entered by a screw 15, the two screws serving to carry a fuse strip 16 elec-' trically connecting the two bells. On the bell 13 there ismounted a stirrup 17 connected through the bell 13 to the insulator l2 by a suitable screw or bolt 18. One leg of the stirrup 17 terminates at its upper end in a guide 19 and the other leg similarly terminates in a guide 20 in line with the guide 19. Alined with and capable of passing through both guides 19 and 20 is a rod 21 having a..,threaded portion 22 at one end and a circumferential groove 23 close to the other end. Extending lengthwise of the rod 21' alongone side thereof is an elongated groove 24. The guide 19 has a central bore- 25 for the rod 21 and slots 26, 27, entering the bore on opposite sides of a division partition 28. Lodged in the groove 24 is astop pin 29 having ends 30 and 311 respectively,

bent into the slots 26 and 27 so, as to partiallyembrace the partition 28 in a manner to permit longitudinal movement of the rod 21 for a distance equal to the greater portion of the length of the rod and yet anchor 2-52 and the rod against es' ape from the stirrup. tlurrounding the rod 21 is a helical springapplied to the threaded end 22 of the rod is a wing nut 33. The action oi the spring 32 at one end against the guide 19 and a the other end against the wing nut is to move the rod to bring the groove 23 and the corresponding end (it the rod 21 within the guide 19. The Will}: nut provides means whereby more or compression may be put upon the spring 32 at the will of an operator.

The guide is provided with a passage 34; for the end of the rod 21 having;- the groove- 23 and continued in the guide 20 is a side extension 35 01 the bore 3st. At one side oi? the guide 20 are cars 36 between which is pivoted a lever 37 having; an elongated arm 38 at one side ot the pivot and a short arm 33) at the other side thereot. the extremity of the arm 39 being provided with a notch ell) to engage the groove 23 when the correspoiuling end. ot the rod it is in the bore 3-1: and the groove 23 projects beyond the outer end of the bore 31's. In such case that is with the arm 39 engaging the rod 21 at the groove 22-5. the arm 38 of the lever is horizontal or approximately so.

At an appropriate point (it the arm 38 there is provided a perforation 41 to which one end of: a wire 42 is attached. The other end of this wire is passed through the perforation 48 in the tree end of an arm 14, projecting from the arm of the stirrup 17 carrying the guide 20. When the parts are set, that is with the rod. projecting through the bore 34: oi. the guide 20 and the s nri'ng 82 compressed. with the rod 21 locked by the lever held in place by the wire 42. the latter is closely adjacent to the lose 16. It, now, a current sulliciently strong; to melt the :luse 16 should pass through it, the fuse blown andv ordinarily this will cause the breakage oi the wire 12. It not. an arc is 'lormed to the wire quickly rupturing; it. This releases the lover I")? to the action of the spring: 32, the lever readily turi'iing on the pivot carried by the cars 36 and the rod .31 is pulled away from the lock formed by the arm :39 oi the lever 37 until that end oi the groove 2i close to the groove is reached and further movement of the rod 21 is arrested by the stop end 31.

W'hen the rod 21 in the locked position it traverses a clamp structure 4:5 like that shown in Letters Patent #1,24l4,339, granted to me October 23. 1917, for a snap clam or grip for electric conductors. and hence needing no particular description. The clamp a5 is of a character which permits it to be readily applied to or removed from the rod 21' after the latter has been locked in place, or in the event of the wire d2 being broken the spring 32 is strong enough to pull the -\vire continuation 50 is made last.

rod 21 from traversing relation to the clamp 45.

The circuit breaker or skeet switch is arranged uea an incoming line wire -18, shown in lligure 4;. Attached to this wire by a suitable clamp is another wire or conductor out flexible character carried through a guide 51 fast to the line wire 18 or merely to a guy continuation 52 thereot for sustainingthe adjacent end of the incoming line wire. The wire 50 is continued through the guide 51 and is capable of moving therethrough and then drops and is socured to the clamp L5. The wire 5.30 is dcsigned to serve as a live or charged continuationot the line wire ts and when the installation is con'iplete current may l'low l'rom the line wire 4L8 through the continuation 50 to the clamp 45 to which the line l nder these circumstances current flows from the line wire 18 through the continuation 5i), clamp 15, rod 21, stirrup 17. to the bell 13, thence by way of the fuse in to the bell l1, and ultimately to the cap (3 from which latter the current is carried by the conductor 11 to a suitable translm'mer 53 where the voltage is reduced and the current at re duced voltage leaves by way of a conductor 5i to a suitable point of utilization. The conductor 11 may be continued by way ot a jumper to another main line around the transformer The conductor 12 connects the cap 6 with a lightning arrester 56 of suitable type.

Between the unction ot the conductor 50 with the incoming line 48 and the guide 51 there is provided a weight 57 carried by a 'roller 58 resting on the coat ictor 50 so that the latter is always under tension suflicient to raise the clamp do out of possible engagen'ient with the yoke 17 when the rod '21 is released and \vithdrawn from the clamp -15.

So tar as this invention is concerned it is only deemed necessary to show one unit. for a three-phase installation is but a reprtition of the one unit illustrated. in case o I the blowing ot a i'use and the rupturing ot the continuity ol the corresponding line wire, the other line wires. in a three phase station, then have their continuity broken. by purposely moving the respective levers 37 to release the corri-zspondii'ig rods 21. This causes the raising ot the clamps 15 to the desired height, which hei 'ht may be determined by the presence or a stop 59 fast on the wire 50 in position to engage the guide 51 when the clamp {to has been raised to a determined height.

The flexible feeding coudiu-tor 50, together with guide 51. weight 57 and clamp structure 15, are shown generally, but in more or less modified relations. in other ap plications iiled by me on May it). 1920. Serial No 381,13d, -for skeet head, and

loo

llii

taining the holding means against its normal tendency, and means for holding the latch, actuated by an abnormal rise of current to release the latch.

2. A circuit openingdevice for high tension transmission lines, comprising a clamp member connected to the line, holding means for the clamp member having a normal tendency to release the clamp member, latch means for the holding means, and retaining means for the latch means actuated by the passage of abnormal current to-cause the release of the clamp member and the rupture of the continuity of the line;

A circuit opening device for high tension transmission lines, comprising aclamp member connected to the line, holding means for the clamp member having a normal tendency to release the clamp member, latch means for the holding means, retaining means for the latchmeans, and means responsive to the passage of abnormal current to cause the release of the clamp member and the rupture of the contlnuity of the line, said clamp member being provided wlth gravity means for moving it out of the Way when released.

4. A circuit opening device for high tension transmission lines, comprising a clamp for attachment to the transmission line, holding means for the clamp having a normal tendency to move out of holding relation thereto, a latch for retaining the hold-, ing means in the holding position, and fusible means in the path of the linecurrent for causing the release of the latch and holding means for the clamp.

5. A circuit opening device for high tension transmission lines, comprising a clamp for connection to the transmission line and constituting a terminal therefor, a retractible member having means for imparting to'it a normal retracting tendency and movable against its normal tendency to traverse and hold the clamp, a latch for holding the retractible member against its normal tend ency and thereby secure the clamp, retaining means for the latch, and fusible means in operative relation to the retaining means and positioned to pass the line current, whereby on an abnormal rise of the line current the fusible means Will cause the.

rupture of the latch retaining means and sion transmission lines, comprising a terminal member for attachment to the transmission line, a reciprocable'rod with a spring imparting a normal tendency to the rod to move it in one direction, a'support for the rod in which it is movable to traverse and hold the terminal member, a latch for the rod to retain it inholding position, separated insulated conducting members carrying the support for the rod with one of the mem hers-having means for attaching a continuationof the line Wire thereto, said members being arranged to be bridged by fusible means, and retaining means for the latch having means for securing it in place adjacent to the fusible means, whereby on the blowing of the fusible means the retaining means for the latch is ruptured and the latch is released.

7 circuit opening device for high ten sion transmission lines, comprising a: terminal member for connection with the transmission line, a slidable rod movable through the member to hold it and'provided with a spring for retracting the rod to releasethe member, a support for the rod on which itis movable, a-latch on the support for holding the rodiagainst the action of the spring with the rod in tra versing relation to the member, insulated facing bells with their adjacent edges in spaced relation, means for connecting the bells by fusible material, and a readily rupturable retaining means for the latch located in close relation to the fusible means.

8. In a circuit opening device for high tension transmission lines, the combination with a line conductor, of a flexible conductor connected at one end to the line conductor, guiding and supporting means for the flexible conductor spaced from that end of the flexible conductor connected to the line conductor, means at the other end of the line conductor for connecting the flexible conductor to the device or devices to be fed from the line conductor, and means engaging the flexible conductor between the guiding means and the connection of the flexible conductor with the line conductor for imparting to the flexible'conductor a constant tendency to move the connecting means carried by the flexible conductor away from the device or devices fed by the flexible conductor.

9. In a circuit opening device for high tension transmission lines, the combination with a line conductor, of a flexible conductor connected at one end to the line conductor and at the other end provided with means for connecting the flexible conductor to a device or devices to be fed from the line con-' duetor, and constraining means through which the flexibleconductor 1S freely, movable, for imparting to the flexible conductor a normal tendency to move away From the device or devices ted by the flexible conductor to separate said flexible conductor from the device or devices :ted thereby be yond arcing or other dangerous distance.

1(). ln a circuit opening: device for high tension transmission lines, the combination with a line conductor, ot a flexible conductor connected at one end to the line conductor, guiding means for the flexible conductor located at an intermediate point in thelength thereof to produce a loop in the flexible conductor, means for connecting the flexible conductor to "a device or devices to be fed by said flexible conductor, and constraining means for the flexible conductor engaging the latter between the guiding n ans and the connection of the flexible to the line conductor for imparting to the flexible coi'iductor a normal tendency "to Withdraw from the device or devices lied by the flexible conductor with the distance of withdrawal out of arcing or dangerous proximity thereto.

ll. In a circuit opening device for high tension transmission lines. the combination with a line conductor, of a flexible conductor connected at one end to the line conductor guiding means for the flexible conductor carried by the line conductor and producing a loop in. the flexible conductor between the guiding means and the connection of the flexible conductor with. the line conductor, a. clamp device carried by the end of the flexible conductor remote from the line conduct-oi.- for connecting" the flexible conductor to a device or devices to be fed. from the. line comlnctor. and means engaging the flexible conductor at the loop therein to impart, to the flexible com'luctor a constant teni'leney to move out of dangerous or harmful proximity to said device or devices.

12. An electric circuit breaker "tor overhead transmission lincs, comprising a contact member adapted to be pendently carried from and electrically connected to the overhead conductor, with the supporting means for said contact member extensible beyond its normal position a second contact member adapted to engage with the first-men tioncd contact member when the latter is in extended position. and means for releasing the engagement bet-ween the contact members, said means being resymnsive to the passage of an abnormal current, whereby the circuit is opened by the return of the first contact member to its normal position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, l have hereto afl'ixed m v Signature.

TOMLINSON FORT JOHNSON, .Ir.

lVitnesses:

P. C. HmuUi/r, I. lV. GREENE. 

